Overview of DISC Personality Assessment
The DISC theory which is the basis overview of DiSC personality assessment was first developed by Dr. William Marston, a physiological psychologist, who shared it in his book “Emotions of Normal People”. He did not create the assessment instrument, but many DISC assessments have been created based on this theory.
DISC is:
A behavioral language
DISC focuses on behavior not emotions and is not a clinical tool and hence, can be used by individuals for the workplace
An understandable language
It uses four main dimensions, their intensities and their ratios, so it is a simple language to understand and remember
A neutral language
DISC does not have good or bad, right or wrong styles. All styles have their own strengths and limitations and are all uniquely positive
A practical language
It can be applied to all personal life or to the workplace. It has useful applications in social, family and business relationships and is an excellent tool for self-development
In this article we will be discussing the DiSC assessment tool that is researched, validated and published by Wiley. DiSC assessment is a non-judgmental tool used for discussion of the behavioral differences in people. It consists of a series of questions which when answered honestly, produce a detailed report about your personality and behavior. It also gives the test takers tips related to working with people of other styles.
DiSC model provides a common language that can be used by people to better understand themselves and to adapt their behavior to that of others. This will benefit them within a work team, a sales relationship, in a leadership position or other relationships at the workplace.
DiSC profiles helps people and teams:
- Increase their self-knowledge in terms of how they respond to conflict, what motivates them, what causes them stress and how they solve problems
- Improve working relationships by recognizing the communication requirements and preferences of the team members
- Facilitate better teamwork and promote productive conflict
- Develop strong sales skills by identifying and responding accordingly to customer styles
- Manage teams more effectively by understanding the dispositions and priorities of various members of the team
The DiSC assessment profile defines four personalities. They are:
Dominance
These individuals place emphasis on accomplishing results, the bottom line, and is confident. They see the big picture, can be blunt, accept challenges and like to get straight to the point.
Influence
These individuals place emphasis on influencing or persuading others, openness and relationships. They show enthusiasm, are optimistic, they like to collaborate, and dislike being ignored.
Steadiness
These individuals place emphasis on cooperation, sincerity and dependability. They are calm in manner and approach; they are supportive in teams but do not like to be rushed.
Conscientiousness
These individuals place emphasis on quality and accuracy while bringing in expertise and competence. They enjoy independence, objectively reason out scenarios, need details, and fear being wrong.
Conclusion
DiSC follows the concept that rarely does an individual fall under solely one of these categories, they are often a blend of the personality styles. People often have a primary and secondary personality style and even the lack of one category indicates much about their personality. This unique blend can be understood and applied effectively in professional situations.
